But the eyes were the same.
“Ruth.”
Ruth walked toward her.
“Loretta.”
They hugged once.
Briefly.
Then stepped apart.
“You look good,” Loretta said.
“So do you.”
“That is a lie.”
“It is hospitality.”
Loretta laughed.
The old sound surprised them both.
Ruth led her to a corner table.
Calvin brought coffee without asking.
Loretta smiled.
“He still here?”
“Twenty-six years.”
“He was slow as cold syrup when you hired him.”
“He owns ten percent now.”
Loretta’s eyebrows rose.
“Well.”
Ruth let her absorb that.
Then Loretta looked down.
“I came to apologize.”
“To me?”
“Yes.”
Ruth waited.
“I dragged your name into my mess.”
“How?”
“Amber thinks I ruined what you tried to do for her.”
Ruth frowned.
“I don’t understand.”
Loretta took a breath.
“I told her years ago that you helped with tuition because I couldn’t.”
“That is true.”
“I said it bitter.”
Ruth understood.
“You made help sound like shame.”
“Yes.”
